At a recent 2013 “Superchat” in April, the question again came up for an explanation on the missing $725,000 from 2010. ( Superchats are the time before the regularly scheduled board meeting where you can chat with the Superintendent on occasion. ) It was Randy Trani that estimated the shortfall at $725,000 according to the 9/2/2010 application ( below link ) when the board held an emergency meeting on the last day to file for a district measure on the fall ballot.

The explanation from Superintendent Trani went along the lines of this:

” Well, ya know when you use your ATM card at Red Robin, and then you stop for ice cream, and then you stop and buy some sneakers… but you never write those things down in your checkbook register? Well that’s pretty much what happened with that.”

What is known for sure

The 2010 shortfall was an unexpected emergency. The result was a 3 million dollar levy on the fall ballot that ultimately did not pass. Select here for one article online prior to the election. Even though requests were made of the school board to do a line-item audit to find out how exactly we suffered such a large “accounting error” this was ultimately swept under the carpet and blamed on “State Funding Black Magic” ( See page 9 of the below slide show from the informational meeting held by Superintendent Trani on 9/14/2010.)

The result was that the Corbett Charter School was expanded and its contract extended until 2014

From Randy Trani’s PDF on the shortage of funds discovered soon after he became Superintendent.

9/2/2010 – CSD applied for the district measure to go on the fall ballot on the LAST DAY of filing ( the same day they held an emergency school board meeting to make the decision ) because of a 1.1 million dollar shortfall ( Asking for a total of 3 million dollars over 5 years ) According to the application for this levy, these funds will be used exclusively to maintain programs and avoid staffing reductions.

Select here to download the pdf to see the meeting minutes from this decision and the levy application. This was an emergency board meeting that was held on the same day that the levy was placed on the ballot.

9/14/2010 – Randy Trani held a community informational meeting at Corbett Schools. The reasons given for the sudden shortfall were two-fold. First, there was a computer/software glitch and second, the state funding calculations were likened to black magic. Dr. Randy Trani gave a slide show ( Link to the slide show and recap ).

11/2/2010 – The levy did not pass. Here is what Bob Dunton had to say in response on his blog;

” What are the odds that Corbett Schools will be able to maintain their current level of service to students? Looks like two-to-one against, based on last night’s election results. No news, really, as it’s about the same number that we’ve seen again and again. Good to see that the extra-curricular politics had no impact on the vote…the community remains solid as a rock.”

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If We Build it They Will Come

The County Application to increase the district population in 2013 was controlled by Superintendent Randy Trani. This was done without the school board's involvement or community input.
CSD can now enroll 1,382 students and 80 staff (for the main campus only) and CAPS in Springdale is allowed 268 students and staff.

This now brings the District's allowed total to 1,730 students and staff. Over 1,000 more than local resident students today.